Press release

Date: 04 Oct 2003

Foreign Affairs Committee

All Burma Federation of Student Unions bakatha@loxinfo.co.th ; www.abfsu.net

"Two University Students Arrested"

1. Two university students, named Win Ko and Zaw Zaw Aung, from Yangon (Rangoon) Eastern University were arrested at their respective homes at 3 am on 28 September. So far no one including their family members can claim their where about.

2. Win Ko was arrested first time altogether with a group of students in August 2001 due to his involvement in a University literacy group and then released. Zaw Zaw Aung was arrested in January 2003 because of students' activism against the military regime.

3. According to various sources, there are some unclear reasons of their arrest: because of an attempt to establish again the student literacy groups in the campus, may link with the distribution of ABFSU statements on the regime's roadmap in which students denounced it, may link with the movement of Youth wing of National League for Democracy (NLD).

4. Min Naing, in-charge person of Foreign Affairs Committee of ABFSU said, "We strongly ask the regime to immediately release those students and should end arbitrary arrests. Without the rule of law and democratic principles, the political development in Burma is impossible. We demand the regime to release all political prisoners and detainees." According to the reliable sources, some student activists are also hiding from their home as to avoid further arrest.

For more info:

Kyaw Kyaw Thein (Spokesperson) - 66 9 558 2630